Extra! Extra! (9.30)
At the very least, there will be playoff. Not necessarily playoffs, but at least the one (possibly two) game variety that allows a team to officially qualify for the postseason. With Friday night's 4-3 comeback win in San Francisco, the Dodgers whittled their magic number down to one, clinching no worse than a tie for the Wild Card and a birth in the Hall of Fame of Obscure Statistics. A Dodger win or a Philadelphia loss, and the Blue are in. At the same time, with San Diego's 3-1 loss to Arizona, L.A. is once again knotted up with the Pads for the lead in the NL West. The decisive blows came in the ninth off San Francisco closer Mike Stanton. Jeff Kent led off with a single, and was replaced by Jason Repko. Back in the dugout, he went into information sharing mode with Olmedo Saenz. Good move. After J.D. Drew struck out looking- give him a break, since Drew's two run homer in the seventh put L.A. in position to make the comeback- Russell Martin drew a walk.
Grady Little sent Saenz to the plate for Marlon Anderson, despite some numbers that might have suggested otherwise, and inspired by Kent's information and a little help from upstairs, Saenz spoiled an inside cutter from Stanton (so far in, it eventually came back to the mound smeared with pine tar), squirting a soft liner to right to score Repko. After a hustling Julio Lugo beat out a potential double play ball, Stanton bounced one through the wickets of Eliezer Alfonzo. Martin scores, 4-3 Blue. Takashi Saito shut the door in the ninth. Jenga.
With the game in hand, L.A. has a chance to clinch on the final weekend in San Francisco. That's never been done, and the Giants would just as soon it stay that way. But should the Blue shed the ghosts and get the decisive win, Sunday's game will be a rest fest, even if the division title is still up for grabs. Derek Lowe would be rested to start the first game of the playoffs, no matter where they'd be. Of course, some suggest the Wild Card would be better at this point, since it would give the Dodgers the Pedroless Mets and keep them away from the Cards, who have battered them this year (or Houston, with their top notch pitching). Anyone want to pull a Clipper?
However it happens, the Blue could be without two big players (one literally, the other figuratively). Brad Penny's back isn't cooperating, and Nomar left Saturday's game in some serious pain.
TODAY'S GAME- It'll be Greg Maddux vs. Matt Cain for San Francisco, as the Blue hope to make this the Saturday Afternoon Champagne Special.
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HALL OF FAME OF O.S.-
AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE KEEPER OF OBSCURE STATS.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:34 AM
JIM AND OREL-
GOOD JOB BY CAP LOCK BROTHERS.
GUYS DID A GREAT JOB LAST NIGHT.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:35 AM
CAP LOCK BROTHERS= IS NOW A THREE HEADED MONSTER
JUST LIKE THE DODGERS 3-4-5 HITTERS.
YOU CAN CUT OFF ONE HEAD BUT ANOTHER WILL
GROW TO TAKE ITS PLACE.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:37 AM
DODGERS - A TEAM OF DESTINY, JUST AS I HAVE BEEN
SAYING . WOULD NOT MIND STARTING POST
SEASON AT HOME??
TALK ABOUT CONFLICTED - DODGERS VS CARDS.
AK AND BK- WHERE DO YOUR LOYALITIES LIE????
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:40 AM
OBVIOUS I CANNOT MISS ANOTHER BLOG. I TOOK A BIG HIT
LAST NIGHT. YOU GUYS WERE MERCILESS.OUCHHHHHHHHHHH.
I THOUGHT YOU GUYS LIKED ME BUT...
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:41 AM
I CHECKED THE BLOG FROM 7:30 TILL 9:00 LAST NIGHT
AND SAW NO GAME THREAD AND NO UPDATED COMMENTS.
THOUGHT AK AND BK WENT TO NEW YORK AGAIN.
I THINK BK WAS FINALLY SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING THE
BLOG INVISIABLE TO COMPUTER. GOOD TRICK BUT IT WILL ONLY WORK ONCE.
PLUS NOW EVERYONE KNOWS IF I'M NOT THERE, MY
CAP BROTHERS WILL TAKE MY PLACE SO.......
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:46 AM
ANOTHER GREAT DODGER VICTORY- GOT TO ADMIT
I WAS STARTING TO DOUBT ABOUT THE 6TYH INNING BUT
OUR PRINCE CAME THRU AGAIN FOR US. PLUS YOU
KNOW THE KILLER TOMATO WILL ALWAYS RESCUE US.
AND SAM THE MAN WILL SAVE THE SAVE.
SEE YOU GUYS AT GAME TIME????
I HOPE??
NICE BLOG -SOK.
SOMEDAY I WILL CONVERT YOU TO ALL CAPS ALSO-
MAYBE IN THE PLAYOFFS.
SOK - STOP FIGHTING YOURSELF AND SURRRENDER
TO YOUR TRUE BLUE DREAMS.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 10:50 AM
I'll finally be able to see a Dodgers game on TV! Today's game will be broadcast on Fox here in SLC. This will be much better than following along online.
By the way, it's "berth," not "birth."
Posted by: Vincent | September 30, 2006 at 11:05 AM
No Nomar, no problema (well, maybe just a little). The Dodgers still have the Killer T and James Loney. I love this kid D. Young. He hustles and is a hard nose player. When he tried to knock the ball out of the catcher's glove in Colordado, I knew I like him. This is the difference between this year's team and last year's. Remember Milton Bradley in S.F. last year, getting tagged out standing up at home plate instead of trying to knock the ball loose.
Posted by: Tom | September 30, 2006 at 11:14 AM
Okay here's a question for whoever wants to take it. If the Phillies lose today--before the Dodger game starts--we will have already clinched a playoff berth. Do we pull our regulars and give everyone even that much more rest--Maddox included? But, of course, the Division is still up for grabs. Anybody heard what Grady's thinking is if that scenario plays out?
Posted by: dodgerskip | September 30, 2006 at 11:23 AM
DODGERSKIP- I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT. BUT I DON'T THINK
GRADY HAS STATED A POSITION. I THINK IF YOU HAVE
A SHOT AT DIVISION TITLE AND HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
THAT YOU GOTTA GO FOR IT. IF THE DODGERS MANAGE TO
HAVE A ONE GAME LEAD OVER PADRES AFTER TODAY.
DO THEY PITCH LOWE TOMORROW? I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.
BUT YOU WANT TO START POST SEASON WITH BEST
PITCHERS- TOUGH CHOICE.
I DON'T THINK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES THEY PULL
MADDUX TODAY. ALTHOUGH DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES
(IE GET AHEAD EARLY) THEY PULL HIM EARLY.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:20 PM
AK/BK -IF THE DODGERS PLAY THE CARDS WILL YOU TRAVEL
TO ST. LOUIS TO USE YOUR PRESS PASSES????????????
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:21 PM
VINCENT- ENJOY THE GAME.
I'M GUESSING ALL OUR REGULARS ALREADY KNOW THEIR VEIWING OPTIONS BY NOW BUT AS VINCENT SAID AND AS I POSTED YESTERDAY THE GAME IS ON BIG FOX, ALTHOUGH
I DON'T KNOW IF THATS A REGIONAL OR NATIONAL TELECAST.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:23 PM
143 THINGS WE CAN ALL AGREE ON:
1. USC IS NO.1
2. DODGERS ARE NO.1
3. LAKERS ARE NO.1
4. BLUE NOTES BLOG IS NO.1
5. CAP LOCK BLOGGERS ARE NO.1
6. GIANTS ARE NOT NO.1
7. AK/BK ARE OK GUYS EVEN THO THEY ARE CARD FANS
8. ITS BERTH NOT BIRTH
9. SAMMY'S GOTTA COME BACK NEXT YEAR.
10. TOMORROW IS ALWAYS A DAY AWAY.
11. DODGERS WILL WIN THE WESTERN DIVISION
12. ....
..
,
,
,
.
.
.
.
.
.
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:35 PM
dammmn
I cant watch the game today with Maddog pitching! It's blacked out because of Fox is broadcasting it on national tv. They are showing the Cards game right now, I looked at the tv schedule and thats the only game theyre showing. Unless, they decide to broadcast 2 games.
I wonder if the midwestern and eastern Dodgers will have the same issue.
Otherwise I have to watch in gamecast and thru this blog.
Posted by: mti | September 30, 2006 at 12:40 PM
NOT WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR KENT AT 1ST AND LUGO AT
SECOND. OUCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
COULDA HAD LONEY OR TOMATO AT 1ST OR EVEN RAMON
AT 2ND. BUT
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:44 PM
NO NO LUGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:45 PM
Orrrrrrrrr....
I cant just watch the replay tonight on mlb.com. And be like Jimmy Fallon from Fever Pitch. Stay away from the news and this blog Until I'm done watching the replay. Thats why I think I am.
I am I am,
I think I am
I'm glad I am
I'm proud I am
A real Dodgers fan.
Posted by: mti | September 30, 2006 at 12:45 PM
stargazer.
if i start going all caps, folks will start mistaking me for you again.
just think of me as your mini-me
go blue!
also since this is a early game i will be able to blog til the game is over. unless we go into extra inning :(. wife > dodgers
Posted by: sok | September 30, 2006 at 12:47 PM
DODGERSKIP- REALLY NOT MUCH CHANCE OF PHILLY GAME ENDING BEFORE DODGER GAME ANYWAY-SO A MOOT POINT????
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:53 PM
DODGERSKIP-DIVISION TITLE OR BUST!!!!!!
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 12:55 PM
HELLOOOOOOOOOOO
LUGO BATTIN THIRD???????
Posted by: stargazin | September 30, 2006 at 01:13 PM
All right, Star-Guy is back. We thought you strained an oblique going for the CAPS LOCK button. Nice win last night. I would have like to have seen Loney at first and Kent at second and no Lugo.
BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Lugo Gottogo. He did get the sac fly. But hitting 3rd. Come on Grady, he's hitting .220. GO DODGERS!!!
Posted by: Jim | September 30, 2006 at 01:37 PM